Sacha Baron Cohen is bringing back his iconic character Ali G for a new project titled Ali G: Who Iz I?, which is playing in theaters now ahead of an October 30 release on Amazon Prime. It has been two decades since the character first gained fame on Da Ali G Show, a series that famously featured interviews with some of the most powerful people on the planet.
Baron Cohen discussed his history with these interviews during a live taping of Happy Sad Confused at the 92nd Street Y in New York, as reported by Variety. He spoke with Josh Horowitz on Wednesday night, reflecting on his time spent with various public figures. He noted that most of the people he interviewed were punctual, but there was one major exception. He told the audience, “Donald Trump kept us waiting for about 40 minutes.”
The comedian recalled entering Trump Tower alongside director James Bobin. While they waited in a room, they overheard Donald Trump shouting a string of expletives, which Baron Cohen described as being “not for the likes of delicate Jewish ears,” at Rudy Giuliani over a phone call. Baron Cohen mentioned that he later heard this was a common occurrence, noting, “It really was a power move.”
The dynamic shifted once the interview began
Baron Cohen observed that Donald Trump seemed impressed by James Bobin, whom he described as a “very handsome, blond, Oxford-educated” Englishman. However, the mood changed immediately when Donald Trump realized he was actually sitting down with Ali G.
Baron Cohen later spoke with a woman who was in a car with Donald Trump following the interview and said that he was apparently furious. The comedian added, “He actually went out publicly a couple of times to criticize me. And in the end, we used all those clips and used them to advertise another show that I did.”
That interview aired in 2003, a time when Donald Trump was primarily known as a New York real estate mogul. Looking back at that encounter, Baron Cohen shared his thoughts on why Donald Trump has found such lasting political success. He suggested that people often made a mistake by not taking him seriously enough.
Baron Cohen said, “We were too easy to dismiss him as a nincompoop. There are elements of brilliance to him, otherwise. And that explains his appeal with the fact that he’s there for a second term, the fact that he’s transforming this country. I won’t say positively or negatively.”
This topic came up again during a separate appearance on the Pivot podcast with Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway. During that conversation, Baron Cohen remarked that Donald Trump is “amusing” and that there is “a huge amount of comedy in the way he speaks.” He explained that he believes the president is “intentionally being funny.”
Cohen also noted that those on the far right often use comedy and sarcasm as a way to dismiss criticisms.
Published: Oct 25, 2026 06:00 pm